Convertible SUV vehicles, such as JEEP.RTM., LAND ROVER.RTM., GAZELLE.RTM. sports utility vehicles and the like, offer the benefit of rugged performance for off-road use, while at the same time allowing the open-air enjoyment of a removable top. The tops can be removable hard tops or flexible tops made, e.g., of fabric, coated canvas, and the like.
A major disadvantage of such sport utility vehicles is their relative lack of cargo space. Any cargo that is carried must essentially be accommodated within the passenger compartment, which is limited. For situations where large items are desired to be transported, the interior cargo space of many sports utility vehicles is inadequate.
The prior art teaches various vehicle rooftop carrier apparatus, but offers few solutions for convertible sports utility vehicles. This is because most vehicle rooftop carriers rely upon the rain gutters for mounting, or rely upon the roof of a hardtop vehicle for support. Since convertible sports utility vehicles lack these features, most prior art rooftop carriers are not suitable for use with these types of vehicles. Prior art racks for convertible sports utility vehicles are described, e.g., in Welter U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,752 and by Steel Horse Automotive.